Crown block for well-drilling apparatus



March 1s, 1924;

Aw. B. ROWLAND y CROWN BLOCK FOR WE LL DRILLING APPARATUS Filed March 6.1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 um .ummm Nx NNI v .NN

Patented Mar. 18, 1924.

UNITED STI-*KIESY PATENT GFF'ICE.

CROWN BLOCK FOB, WELL-DRILLING APPARATUS.

Application med March e, 1923. serial No.'` 623,145.

To all whom z'zf may concer/n:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. RowLAND, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bakersiield, in the county of Kern, and

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, rigid and effectivecrown-block, especially one in which the sheaves may be adjusted readilyas to position; and to this end my invention consists in the novelcrown-block assembly which I shall no-w fully describe by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan view of mycrown-block.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the structural frame of the crown block, fromwhich the sheaves and their supporting shafts and clamps have beenomitted. j j y FFig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is asection on theline 5-5 of Fig. 4. f l

The structural frame of the crown block, comprises a plurality ofparallel spaced beams 1, spacing members 2 at each end, and tie-bolts 3.Upon the beams 1 are fixed the non-rotatable shafts 4 which support andupon which rotate the several sheaves of the operating lines. In thepresent case for the sake of illustration, the beams 1 are live innumber, and they are, as usual of I-cross section Figs. 3 and 4.

The spacing members 2 are short sections of I-beams, set on edge, withtheir flanged ends fitting against the webs of adjacent main beams 1, asseen in Figs. 1 and 3. The tie-bolts 3, which are best arranged ingroups of four, Fig. 2, pass throu h the webs of the main beams 1, andthroug the fianged ends of the spacing members 2, two bolts of saidgroup, one above and one below, lying on each side of the web of saidspacing members.

The frame thus made is essentially rigid, and well adapted for thepurpose. The sheaves here shown are the usual ones, such,

for example, as the sand-line sheave 5, the casing-sheaves 6, thedrilling-line sheave v7 and any othersemployed in the art. Each of thesesheaves is rotatively mounted on its appropriate fixed shaft 4 bymeansof its hub, which is fitted with a bushing 8, Fig. 4. The journalportion 4 of the shaft isof circular cross section and preferablyenlarged, while the endsof the shaft are flattened on their lower sides,Fig. 2, to lie firmly on top ofthe I-beams 1 of the structural frame.The shafts 4 are heldon the beams by a pair of complemental clamps. Eachclamp; comprises a body portion 9,the faceof which is curved on theradius of the shaft, a flat foot portion 9"L with inwardly directedhooks 9T on each side, and a head'portionvQ, One yof these clamps lieson each side of each end portion of the shaft, the body portion 9 of theclamp fitting the side of the shaft, the fiat foot portion 9a resting onthe flat top of the upper fiange of the beam 1, its hooks 9b slidablyembracing the edges of saidflange, and

its head portion 9F receiving a bolt 10 which connects the pair ofclamps together.v A set screw 11 is fitted through `the foot portion ofeach clamp and bears on the top of they -beam 1. 'A feature'of theseclamps to be especially noted is that the faces vof their body portion9, which bear on the sides of the shaft are' convexed orcrownedlaterally as indicated at 12 in Fig. 5.

The pair of clamps thus associated with the beams and with the shafts,not only provide an effective, firm fastening for the shafts, withoutthe necessity of making holes in the beams as would be required by theuse of bolts, but also, they enable the shafts to be placed in anydesired position on the beams, and to be set at an angle thereto if andwhen required, since the clamps can be slipped along the beam toldesired position, and, due to their rounded bearing faces, one pair ofclamps at one end of the shaft can be set forward or back of the otherpair at the other end, the shaft rocking on the rounded clamp face toaccommodate its resulting angularity relatively to the beams, and thisadjustment may be effected without having to make any holes in thebeams.

On account of the rotative mounting of the sheaves on the shafts, andthe relatively inaccessible position of the crown-block, the matter ofjournal lubrication assumes a peculiar importance. In this connection Ihave made the shafts 4 with a longitudinal bore 4 the ends of which arenormally closed by screw plugs 13. Fig. 4. From the middle lower portionof the bore 4 are made radially directed holes opening out on the lowersurface of the journal portion 4 of the shaft, and in these holes aredriven tightly wooden oil pervious pins 14. Figs. 4 and 5. In the shaftis made a hole 15 from the periphery inwardly to the bore 4 and in thishole is fitted an oil filler cup 16. Fig. 4. The lubricant thus passesfrom the cup 16, through the hole 15 into the shaft bore 4, and thenceit passes through the grain of the wooden pins 14 to the sheave journal.

I claim:

1. A crown-block comprising spaced, parallel, fianged beams; asheave-sustaining shaft resting upon said beams; clamps embracinglyfitted to the shaft said Y clamps having flat-foot-portions resting onthe beams with hooks slidably embracing the beam-flanges7 adapting saidclamps for adjustment alo-ng said beams, to vary the position of theshaft thereon; and set screws tted to the clamp foot-portions for Xingthe clamps on the beams in adjusted posi'- tion.

2. A crown-block comprising spaced, parallel, flanged beams; asheave-susta'ining shaft resting upon said beams; and a pair -ofcomplemental clamps embracingly fitted to the sides of the shaft, saidclamps resting on the beams and having hooks slidably embracing the beamflanges adapting the clamps for adjustment along said beams, to vary theposition of the shaft thereon, and a binding bolt fitted between thetops of the clamps above the shaft.

3. A crown-block comprising spaced, parallel, flanged beams; asheave-sustaining shaft resting upon said beams; a p-air of complementalclamps embracingly fitted to the sides of the shaft, said clamps havingfootportions resting on the beams and having hooks slidably embracingthe beam flanges adapting the clamps for adjustment alo-ng said beams,to vary the position of the shaft thereon; a binding bolt fitted betweenthe tops of the clamps above the shaft and set screws fitted in theclamp foot-portions for fixing the clamps on the beams in adjustedposition.

4. A crown-block comprising spaced, parallel, flanged beams; asheave-sustaining shaft resting upon said beams; and a pair of connectecomplemental clamps having laterally crowned faces fitted to the sidesof the shaft over each beam, adapting said shaft for angular adjustmentrelatively toV beam-flanges adapting the clamps for ad-y justment alongsaid beams; and setscrews for fixing the clamps on the beams in adjustedposition.

In testimony whereof I have signed m name to this specification. Y

WILLIAM B. ROW LAND.

